Universal emergency telephone number systems are commonly employed by private and/or public entities to enable individuals to contact local emergency services for assistance. The emergency system may utilize a three-digit number, for example, such that the number is both easy to remember and to dial in case of an emergency. In order to efficiently allocate resources, the emergency system may also assign different numbers for each of the different services that are available. For example, the number “911” may be assigned to emergency medical services, which may be responsible for responding to life-threatening situations (e.g., a heart attack, an automobile accident, a violent crime, etc.), while the number “311” may be assigned to other types of services, which may be responsible for responding to non-life-threatening situations (e.g., a loud neighbor, a stray dog, a street pothole, etc.).
Thus, in the case of a life-threatening emergency, an injured individual seeking immediate medical help may dial 9-1-1 in order to reach an emergency dispatcher. Once connected, the injured individual may convey information regarding the emergency to the dispatcher. For example, the individual may provide his or her identity and present location. The individual may also describe the circumstances that led to the emergency and/or the type of injuries that were sustained. The emergency dispatcher may then contact an emergency medical technician (EMT) to respond to the individual's request for help and relay this information so that the EMT may provide proper medical assistance in a timely manner.
In addition, the emergency dispatcher may also request information from the injured individual associated with his or her medical history. This type of information may be critical in enabling the EMT to provide proper medical assistance. For example, the injured individual may have allergies to one or more medications, such as penicillin, or may currently being taking a medication that causes an adverse reaction when combined with other types of medications. Thus, by being aware of such conditions ahead of time, the EMT may be better prepared, thereby avoiding the potential for further medical complications. However, in many types of emergencies, the emergency dispatcher does not obtain such information because the injured individual is incapable of providing it due to physical or emotional injuries related to the emergency and/or a prior condition. In such situations, the injured individual may only be capable of dialing 9-1-1. Therefore, a need exists for a device, system and method for sending medic alert information electronically to an emergency contact.